Joventut Badalona playmaker Andres Feliz is one of the biggest names in the BKT EuroCup this season.
Feliz grew up in Guachupita, one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic's capital. Basketball kept him away from crime and violence, as did his parents, who Feliz credits for raising him the right way.
At age 16, given the chance to play high school basketball in the United States, he left without speaking a word of English. He ended up meeting his wife Lisa at college and getting his degree.
A late bloomer in basketball, Feliz joined El Prat in the Spanish third division and soon moved to Joventut, where his role has increased each and every season. Over the summer, Feliz played a starring role with the Dominican Republic at the 2023 World Cup.
Now, the sky seems to be the limit for the 26-year-old Feliz, who hopes to lead Joventut to its second EuroCup title, and first since 2008, at the end of the season that starts this week.